Heel attachment for boots and shoes



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE C. AIKEN, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

`HEEL ATTACHMENT FOR BOOTS AND SHOES.

Specication of Letters Patent No. 31,286, dated February 5, 1861.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEO. C. AIKEN, of the city and county of Worcester, in the State of Massachusetts, have invented)y a certain new and useful Improvement in Elastic Heel Attachments for Boots and Shoes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and eXact description of the same, referencebeing had to the ac.- companying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which-- Figure l, represents a front view of the same, looking in the direction of arrow l, Fig. 2the device being shown in this instance applied to a heel.

In the drawings A, represents a grooved metallic piece of the form fully shown in the drawings and of which F ig. 2, is a. top view, and Fig. 3, a bottom view. The groove is on the under side, and is to be filled with an elastic substance, such as vulcanized india rubber or its equivalent. The metallic part A, is to be fastened to the heel by means of nails or screws, passing through holes a, or in any other suitable manner. The groove may be made larger at the rear part in order to give the rubber or other elastic substance greater ease and freedom of motion. The groove is also made in the form shown in Fig. ll, so as to hold the rubberv more securely. The interior of the heel, between the ends of the metallic part A, may be filled up with leather if preferred. The rubber in most cases will remain in position without any other fastening than its own expansion and elasticity acting in combination with the inclined or dove-tailed sides of the groove, but it can of course be otherwise fastened if preferred. The rubber projects out below thelower surface of the metal, so that in walking the rubber comes in contact with the ground or floor first and then yields back as the weight of the body is brought to bear upon the foot, until it is even with the metal. By this arrangement all clatter and noise of the metal heel is obviated, while an elastic heel is obtained. The rubber yielding back in the groove is protected very much from injury, while by its elasticity the heel is prevented from striking with a dead heavy force upon the ground or floor, thus preventing the metal heel from being bruised, jammed or battered up.

Metal heels have been objectionable heretofore for the'reasons above stated, and by my invention all of their advantages are retained while their disadvantages have been obviated.

lVhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

The combination of the groove metal part A, with the rubber or elastic part B, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my naine.

GEO. C. AIKEN. In presence of- E. F. BA'roI-IELDER, JOHN BATCHELDER.

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